MICE Events and Participants up in Q1 2017

Meetings and conference participants in first quarter have more than doubled (Photo provided by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute)

The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicate that 366 MICE events were held in the first quarter of 2017, consisting of 344 meetings and conferences, seven exhibitions and 15 incentive events. The total number of participants and attendees was 222,000.

The number of meetings and conferences held between January and March increased by 50 year-on-year, with the number of participants rising 111.9 per cent to 54,000. Those meetings and conferences with 200 participants or more increased by 16 to 54, while the number of participants surged 194.8 per cent to 41,000 (74.9 per cent of total). Meanwhile, meetings and conferences of four hours or more increased by 66 year-on-year to 247, with the number of participants soaring 206.3 per cent to 44,000; the average duration of these meetings and conferences was 2.1 days, up 0.1 days year-on-year. The overall average duration of meetings and conferences was 1.7 days, up 0.3 days.

The seven exhibitions held in the first quarter were organised by non-government organisations, up by three year-on-year; the number of attendees increased by 48.9 per cent to 163,000. The average duration of the exhibitions was three days, up 0.2 days year-on-year. These exhibitions attracted 267 exhibitors, with the majority coming from Macao (74.9 per cent of total); professional visitors totalled 5,833, with those from Macao accounting for 66.7 per cent. Furthermore, the number of incentives went up by three year-on-year to 15, attracting 4,432 participants, up 135.9 per cent; the average duration of the events was 3.3 days.